Spice Up Your Love Life: Aphrodisiacs for a Romantic Meal

We all associate February with Valentine’s Day. And the cinema release date for sexy movies like the “50 Shades” series. As we all know, love comes from the heart, but always passes through the stomach. So why not spice up your special dinner, by using aphrodisiacs for a romantic meal?

I admit it. Valentine’s Day is just a pretext for this rundown of awesome foods, because why not make a romantic meal on a simple Wednesday?

After a few long-term relationships, I know how easy it is to get into a culinary routine, with some favorite, easy to make dishes, and not enough energy or time for experimentation. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Try cooking these as often as possible. The following foods are just the right way to say “I love you and you are special to me.” So feed your mutual love and let’s see the aphrodisiacs for a romantic meal!

Chocolate is a mood booster and also heightens the sensation of pleasure.

5 aphrodisiacs for a romantic meal

1. Maca

Let’s start off with something a bit on the exotic side. Maca is the root of a plant that grows in the Andes of Peru. It’s been consumed by local farmers and their livestock for centuries. And it’s been believed to stimulate fertility in all, by explorers and locals.

But its actual benefits haven’t been all that studied until this century. The few studies so far support the hypothesis that maca helps increase stamina, manages your hormones, and boosts your mood and libido at the same time.

More often than not, maca is found in powder form, and you can add it to your guacamole, or to your banana split or strawberry sundae.

Maca root often found as powder, stimulates fertility and helps regulate hormones.

2. Chocolate

Moving on, with this classic aphrodisiac food. Chocolate has been long known to get your blood pumping and your happiness to rise. It’s rich in phenylethylamine, a mood booster, and also a substance which heightens the sensation of pleasure. Sounds good, right?

The brain responds to this chemical found in chocolate much as it responds when you feel love and lust: by creating euphoria. So how about a simple classic? Melt some chocolate (find out how right here) and then dip some strawberries in it. Ooh, la la!

3. Champagne

Why champagne over any other alcoholic beverage? Because according to one study conducted by the University of Manchester, the carbonation the bottle of bubbly leads to faster absorption of the alcohol itself. Which leads to relaxation of the blood vessels and your sweet release from inhibitions.

Per another study, champagne contains nitric oxide, a compound which the body uses to keep your blood vessels healthy and the blood freely pumping to your loving, beating heart.

Perhaps not all occasions are champagne-worthy. So what if you tried a more casual form of champagne, like the mimosa cocktail? You don’t need any special reasons to treat yourself and your significant other!

It’s pretty easy to incorporate watermelon into your dinner. You can start with a nice salad, but of course, you can also feed each other pieces of fruit as dessert.

5. Avocado

Is there anything avocado isn’t good at? (Don’t answer that. I honestly don’t want to know) It even works as part of your beauty routine!

The Aztecs believed that avocados are an aphrodisiac thanks to its shape, similar to a male body part that just makes you think about sensuality. But modern science is catching up to these beliefs and finds that there are actual aphrodisiac qualities in this fruit.

To be more specific, avocado helps increase the levels of nitric oxide in the blood, which helps your blood vessels healthy. And if they’re healthy, then the circulation really helps with romantic evenings in.

Ruxandra Grecu

I’m a pop culture nerd who thinks too much about fried bacon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and life, the Universe and everything. I love food and sometimes you can see that on my hips, but I don't care that much about that.
What I do care more about is trying to eat healthier, even though I admit that I like to indulge in my food fantasies. I’m addicted to puns, so forgive me for that when you read my articles. I now know too much about nutrition to be fun to hang out with. So long and thanks for all the fish-based omega-3 fatty acids.